App Title: Tales2Go
Grade Level: K-8
Cost: Free app, $24.99 for a one-year subscription
Purpose: A+
Purpose Rationale: Tales2Go is an awesome subscription-based audiobook app that is bringing back good old fashioned storytelling in a whole new way. Instead of downloading individual audiobooks or borrowing CD audiobooks from the library, teachers and parents can choose to stream from a multitude of story choices instantly to their iPod Touches, iPhones, and iPads. And the Tales2Go library continues to grow with its popularity. This app’s motto is “Storytime, anytime” and it certainly lives up to it!
Program Functionality: A-
Program Functionality Rationale: Tales2Go is easy to install and it quickly guides the user through an account set-up process. In no time at all, the app offers you a wide variety of stories (and even some songs!) for your listening pleasure. Users are given a variety of ways to search through the stories, whether it be by Age, Series, Books, or Storyteller to name a few. If you are looking for something specific, that is easy to do too with the ‘Search’ function. Tales2Go puts itself at the head of the class with features like ‘Bookmarks’ and ‘Favorites’. The Tales2Go app is a free download in the App store and initially comes with a free 30 day trial. After the trial ends, users will need to purchase a year-long subscription in order to continue utilizing the app. It is important to note that it is $24.99 per device per year, not per iTunes account. This is currently the biggest downfall to the app. Many iPod and iPhone users expect to share apps with their family members and users should know that that is not an option with Tales2Go.
Overall Educational Value: A+
Overall Educational Value Rationale: This app has a wealth of educational value for teachers due to the ease, accessibility, and choices of audiobooks available. Tales2Go is an excellent way to differentiate instruction, accommodate students, and engage children when teaching literature. Some students are auditory learners who need to hear information in order to properly comprehend it and other students struggle with decoding to the point that it impedes their comprehension skills; Tales2Go is a great way to accommodate these students and many other students. The app is a very engaging way for children to interact with literature, mainly because of the use of professional storytellers. Another great benefit is being able to use the stories in conjunction with the actual book since the storyteller can model excellent proper inflection, emotion, and tone of voice for students.
Recommendation: If you are a parent, teacher, or school district looking for a audiobook app that will allow you to access thousands of stories with the tap of your finger, I highly recommend Tales2Go for your home, classroom, and school use. The subscription is a bit pricey when you look at it for school-wide use, but when compared with purchasing and storing the individual stories on their own, Tales2Go can be considered an excellent deal per device. I would highly suggest that a school begin with one or two devices in the library that could be signed out for classroom use. Also, special education teachers and administrators should certainly consider Tales2Go as an adaptive technology option for certain students with disabilities.
Classroom Use Examples/Ideas: There are a variety of ways for teachers to utilize Tales2Go in the classroom. The app can be used to support a book by reading along as you listen to the story. This is a great technique for modeling reading, focusing on comprehension, and engaging more students. Tales2Go is also a great option for accessing literature in a quick and easy manner; it can easily be used for storytimes or as a classroom ‘free-time’ activity. Tales2Go could also be a part of a cool visualizing activity where students draw or write about the scene they just heard the storyteller describe. You can even let Tales2Go be a teacher’s ‘substitute’ and read to the class while the teacher monitors and assists students with the activity.
Developer: Tales2Go
Developer Website: www.tales2go.com
iTunes Link: Tales2Go on iTunes
Reviewer Name: Meg Wilson
Reviewer Blog: www.iPodsibilities.com
Reviewer Twitter: http://twitter.com/iPodsibilities
Other: Don’t forget to check out our Ning (Online Community) devoted to helping teachers utilize these devices to the their fullest. Please leave a comment if you agree, disagree, or have other creative uses for this app in the classroom, etc.
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 7:17AM 
Project 365 is an app that helps you document a year with photos. This week on the MacReach Show, we explored how teachers can incorporate Project 365 into their classrooms! Here's what we came up with:
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Watch all the eduTecherTV Webisodes right from your app streaming in HD quality video. The app, like the site, no longer streams through YouTube so it can be accessed from all schools no matter what the filter is like. You can also share the webisodes or even stream them to an AirPlay device like AppleTV.
eduTecher now allows you to take notes on any of the web tools we review. Say you want to write a note to remind yourself to try a specific web tool with your 2nd period class - just add a note to the link and it will appear in your Backpack under "Notes". Notes can easily be edited and shared with other eduTechers.
Building a PLN (Personal Learning Network) is easy with the new eduTecher app. Users can connect with other registered members that teach in the same location, teach similar subjects, have the same educational technology interests, and more. Becoming a contact will allow users to share notes and favorites as well as send and receive messages and chat.
